19 Bible Verses about Civil authorities

Jesus answered him, "You would have no power at all over me, if it had not been given to you from above. So the man who betrayed me to you is more guilty than you."

Everybody must obey the civil authorities that are over him, for no authority exists except by God's permission; the existing authorities have been established by Him,

For the civil authorities are God's servants to do you good. But if you practice doing wrong, you should dread them, for they do not wield the sword for nothing. Indeed, they are God's servants to inflict punishment upon people who do wrong.

for this is the reason why you pay your taxes, for the civil authorities are God's official servants faithfully devoting themselves to this very end.

For the Lord's sake submit to all human authority; to the emperor as supreme, and to governors as sent by Him to punish those who do evil and to reward those who do right.

If I am guilty and have done anything that deserves death, I am not begging to keep from dying, but if there is nothing in the charges which these men make against me, no one can give me up as a favor to them. I appeal to the emperor."

For civil authorities are not a terror to the man who does right, but they are to the man who does wrong. Do you want to have no dread of the civil authorities? Then practice doing right and you will be commended for it. For the civil authorities are God's servants to do you good. But if you practice doing wrong, you should dread them, for they do not wield the sword for nothing. Indeed, they are God's servants to inflict punishment upon people who do wrong.

for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead peaceful, quiet lives in perfect piety and seriousness.

Constantly remind people to submit to and obey the rulers who have authority over them, so as to be ready for any good enterprise,

When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and asked, "Does your Teacher pay the temple tax?" He answered, "Yes." When Jesus reached home -- He got there ahead of Simon -- He asked him, "What do you think about it, Simon? From whom do civil rulers collect duties or taxes, from their own citizens or from aliens?" He answered, "From aliens." Jesus said to him, "So their own citizens are exempt,read more.
but still, that we may not influence them to do anything wrong, go down to the sea and throw over a hook. Pull in the first fish that bites, open its mouth and you will find in it a dollar. Take it and pay the tax for both of us."

Then the Pharisees went and made a plot to trap Him in argument. So they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, to say to Him, "Teacher, we know that you are in the habit of telling the truth and of teaching the way of God in honesty, and you do not care what anyone says, for you are not partial. So give us your opinion on the question: Is it right to pay Caesar the poll-tax, or not?"read more.
But Jesus saw their malicious plot, and so asked, "Why are you testing me so, you hypocrites? Show me a poll-tax coin." And He asked them, "Whose likeness and title is this?" They answered, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Pay Caesar, therefore, what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God."

Then they sent some Pharisees and Herodians to Him to trap Him in argument. And they came up and said to Him, "We know that you always tell the truth, and pay no personal consideration to anyone, but teach the way of God honestly. Is it right to pay poll-tax to Caesar, or not? Should we pay it, or should we not?" Now because He saw their pretense, He said to them, "Why are you testing me so? Bring me a twenty-cent coin to look at."read more.
And they brought Him one. Then He asked them, "Whose picture and title is this?" They answered Him, "Caesar's." So He said, "Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God." And they were utterly dumbfounded at Him.

So they closely watched and sent spies who pretended to be upright men, to catch Him in His conversation, so as to turn Him over to the power and authority of the governor. They asked Him, "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and show no favors to anyone, but teach the way of God honestly. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"read more.
But He detected their cunning, and said to them, "Show me a twenty-cent coin. Whose picture and title does it bear?" They answered, "Caesar's." He said to them, "Then pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God!"

Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.

They answered, "Caesar's." Then He said to them, "Pay Caesar, therefore, what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God."

So He said, "Pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God." And they were utterly dumbfounded at Him.

He said to them, "Then pay Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and pay God what belongs to God!"

But Peter and John answered them, "You must decide whether it is right in the sight of God to obey you instead of Him,

By faith, Moses, at his birth was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king's decree.